Chapter 64: Spartan One

.5 LYS FROM JETANIA

Lazar watched from the couch that he and Rhaos sat on as Anja and Retta made sure the four Beta females who had been on the ship were comfortable and calm. He had watched them both use their healing abilities once more and though he wouldn’t understand what they were doing until later, he could see the soft white glow of their hands as they ran their hands over their bodies while whispering to them all of the time. The same pair of hands that had caused him such intense pain were now being used to heal. It was unlike anything that Lazar had ever seen.

The two of them put off a soothing and calm veneer that radiated confidence and warmth. Lazar glanced quickly into the rear of the ship and could see his men within the cargo pen that held the two bodies, a powerful force field of red energy keeping them inside the pen. While they had plenty of room to move around, most chose to just sit on the floor away from where the bodies lay and stare through the field at the two large men who were guarding them. Several of them were injured after the severe beatings they had received, but neither Anja nor Retta had made any attempt to heal them as they had Rhaos and himself. Given what they taken part in, Lazar doubted he would have acted any differently than this woman. Neither he nor Rhaos would have ever believed anyone who told them they had seen a species that could move so fast as to be nothing more than a blur of vision, yet they had witnessed it themselves and they could not help but believe. How they had not detected these others by their scents was something that Lazar had been trying to determine but was at a loss to explain.

Lazar cut his eyes when he saw the black haired female approach the one who had called Anja mother. He had heard her called Zarah by the woman beside her now. Lazar didn’t know what other species she was but she was exquisite in her beauty and her scent was filled with the same blood that the one called Retta had. What he could tell was that the wolf blood in her, like it was within Retta, was incredibly pure and so very potent. They were sisters, he could tell that from their scent, but Lazar’s nose could also detect an orange clove like scent coming from the front of the ship with a similar hint of the very same blood within Retta and this other female. Another sister if his nose was accurate. The male wolf in the back had the same hint of blood but it was also different somehow. A close relation perhaps, not that it mattered really, for while Lazar and Rhaos were large and powerful Alpha wolves, the half breed in the rear and the other hulking species with him, they were not ones that Lazar wanted to confront. His senses told him those two men were dangerous in so many ways that he could not understand, along with the black haired female and the sister with the dark brown hair. They were warriors and predators, they moved like warriors, and they gazed at Rhaos and himself as little more than prisoners, which they were Lazar mused as he looked down at the shackles that wrapped around his and Rhaos’ wrists.

All of his life he had been raised and believed that they were the strongest species in the universe. That no other species could do what they did. He was proud of this fact, but Lazar, because of his Mountain Pack heritage, did not use this knowledge or power to force others to do his bidding. The Coalition had not had a war in over three centuries now, everyone in this sector of space who they had not conquered now remained as far away from them as they could. Lazar was actually happy about this because he did not believe he would be able to lead his men in the subjugation of another species simply because they could. Lazar believed this ultimately hurt the Coalition, for without allies and friends you could not survive. The last few hours had shown him quite clearly that there were other species out among the stars that could and did make the Coalition look like children.

He just never believed fellow Lycavorians would be part of that.

Lazar Aspion didn’t know what to make of everything right now but he did know that whoever the Alpha male was that had fathered these young women and the male in the back, he was without a doubt, extraordinarily powerful. His blood was far purer than even Lazar’s own father given the scent of that blood in those around him, that was for certain, and his father was perhaps the most powerful Alpha wolf on Jetania.

Lazar had never smelled the blood of an Alpha so deeply embedded in a female as it was within this woman called Anja. Her diminutive stature was a clever ruse he now knew, for she was far more vicious and skilled than Lazar would have ever thought. No female Alpha wolf on Jetania held the blood of their Alpha mate mixed so deeply with their own. That blood and scent was also mixed just as deeply with five other feminine scents and this was something he had not expected. Even among the Mountain Packs, same sex pairings were frowned upon heavily for they would not produced children and to smell this upon her was not something Lazar was used too. Given the extent of how deeply she carried the scent of his blood within her, as well as the other females, Lazar estimated they had been together for at least three decades and the aura of another Alpha would have no effect on her as it would others. As he watched, Lazar’s eyes grew slightly wider when he saw the two young women share a very open and loving kiss, a kiss that he would considered reserved for those who were mated, and then they were nodding to each other several times as if they were talking to one another without words, and then the one with the black hair moved back toward the front of the ship. Lazar watched as the half breed turned her dark brown eyes back on him and he looked away quickly.

The third half breed, the one called Mari, she was sitting at another computer station on the other side of the ship, her mother standing beside her as the younger one worked on the two computer consoles, her hands moving across the panels like a master. They obviously were not concerned that Lazar and Rhaos could see what they were doing, and to be honest, the only person who might be able to comprehend the equipment they were using was Laon. He had always been the one to explain and show Rhaos and himself about the more detailed equipment. Now though he feared for Laon and all of his crew. He had chosen most of them himself and he had made certain that they were loyal to him and to their ship and not to his father. It helped that most of them were from the many different Mountain Packs and that is why his father put so many spies on his ship Lazar knew.

“Wen forn hinvor?“ The female voice spoke. (Are you hungry?)

Lazar’s head snapped around and he saw the woman they called Anja standing beside the couch holding two trays in her hands. He had not heard her approach and this shocked him. The scent of meat and vegetables filtered to his sensitive nose however and Lazar looked at the trays she held. Two steaming slabs of sweet smelling meat, obviously cooked with many seasonings, a large pile of green vegetables of some kind and another heaping pile of what his nose told him were some sort of potatoes. Lazar looked at the tray and then up into Anja’s face. Half breed or not, he had to admit she was an exceptionally beautiful female wolf.

Anja set the trays on the table in front of them and then reached out with her hand. Her fingers waved delicately over his wrists and the unique shackles that had been binding his wrists fell away. She did the same with Rhaos and he watched those shackles drop to the deck. They watched her move to the couch beside them and settle into it with a large mug of steaming liquid in her hands. Lazar and Rhaos looked at her for a moment and then at the trays of food in front of them. Lazar heard the mocking snicker and he looked up to see the dark red haired female standing in front of them now. She held two, tall metal glasses of water in her hands and she was staring at him with those incredible dark green eyes.

“Atle a jonia.” Retta spoke as she set the glasses on the table and lifted the tray in front of Lazar. She stabbed into the white pile of potatoes with the utensil and brought it to her mouth where she quickly ate it. She put the fork back on the tray and thrust the tray into Lazar’s hands. “Forn tiab un aldi.” Retta spoke once more. (What a baby) (You need to eat)

“If we had intended to kill you...” Anja spoke from the couch. “You would be dead already. I would not waste the time or effort it would take to poison your food. I would just kill you and be done with it. And I think you know we could do this easily if we wanted too.”

Rhaos was the one who didn’t hesitate now, reaching forward and grabbing the tray and stabbing the fork into the meat. They had not had a decent meal since before leaving the ship and he was starving. As the first scoop of meat hit his taste buds, Rhaos was hooked and his eyes grew wide as he began to eat quickly. Lazar lifted the fork and followed suit just as Retta settled to the couch beside her mother. Being able to pull from Zarah and Lucia’s strength was a godsend for Retta at this time. Their combined strength in the etheric realm was huge and being bound together in a way that many would never understand or know the reasons for was the explanation. Whatever the cause, Lucia was right when she had told Retta what she had. They had found each other and nothing would ever come between them now, but they also knew that only one wolf would ever call for the both of them equally. Dutkne would be joining them soon enough, and while they had only seen him once since Andro had arrived, there would be time for what they shared to fully blossom. Only Dutkne could affect either of them in any way and both Lucia and Zarah knew this and it made them even stronger. It was not the same as being able to pull from her twin Calyb or from Androcles, but it was enough to push back the burning of her wolf blood for this godlike Alpha wolf that Retta felt.

Lazar looked up at Retta first as he chewed and then he looked at Anja. “Will you feed my men?” He asked.

Anja nodded her head. “They are getting our standard field rations.” Anja answered as she sipped her coffee. “They are not as tasty as what you are eating, but they are rather good as far as field rations go.”

“Then you will kill us?” Lazar spoke.

Lazar saw Retta roll her eyes in disgust and Anja smiled as she looked at him. “I have no intention of killing you or your partner here.” Anja spoke.

“Our men?” Rhaos asked now.

“Your men are responsible for the brutal deaths of almost twenty Beta Lycavorians from Ventori.” Anja told him. “Innocent men and women. Their fate will be decided by the families of those they killed. If no family members are alive to pronounce punishment, then a court and jury of Ventori Lycavorians will decide what to do.”

“Beta Wolves.” Rhaos spoke. “Deciding the fate of Alphas?”

Anja looked at him now. “You consider yourself better than Beta Wolves, young Alpha?” Anja asked him with a neutral voice. “What is your name?”

“Rhaos Kyer.” He replied.

Anja looked at Lazar. “Lazar Aspion.” He told her.

“Prince Lazar Aspion.” Rhaos spoke quickly.

Anja looked at him and her eyes narrowed slightly. “Oh yes ... I will have to remember that won’t I?” She answered. “So Rhaos Kyer, you consider yourself better than Beta wolves?” Anja asked.

Rhaos was no fool, and like Lazar he could sense the power within this female wolf. Half breed she may have been, but she was much stronger than nearly every Alpha female Rhaos had ever come across on their homeworld, even Lazar’s mother who was the strongest Rhaos had ever met. “I will ... I will fight to defend those who are not my equal, that is part of what an Alpha does, but yes, Alphas have always been superior to Beta and Gamma wolves. Omegas too. You are wolf, you should know this!”

Anja nodded her head. “We do not adhere to that long dead and silly thought process in the Lycavorian Union.” She stated evenly. “That is how it was on our original homeworld yes, but we have evolved far beyond that now.”

“That is what you call where you are from? This Lycavorian Union.” Lazar asked now.

Anja nodded her head. “Yes.” She replied. “And in the Lycavorian Union, there are Beta and Gamma wolves that serve in our government and military. Even many Omega wolves. All of them are held in the same regard and esteem as any Alpha would be. In many cases they even command Alphas.”

Rhaos laughed at this and then saw that Anja’s expression had not changed. “You are serious?” He asked.

“Yes.” Anja told him.

Rhaos was still shoveling the delicious tasting food into his mouth, unable to resist the smell and flavor. It was unlike any food he had ever eaten. “This Union of yours must not be very large.” He said while chewing. “Not with Beta wolves commanding Alphas.”

Anja smiled once more. “The Lycavorian Union comprises nearly nine hundred different species and totaling, at our last census, nearly thirty-one trillion citizens.” She told them as she sipped her coffee calmly. Anja saw the looks of disbelief cover Lazar and Rhaos’ faces and she couldn’t help but smile as Rhaos nearly choked on the mouthful of food he was chewing. “How big did you say your Coalition was again?” Anja sent out the jab.

“How ... how is that possible?” Lazar finally blurted out.

“It is a rather long and very involved story but the short version is that many like minded people came together with the same ideals and values and formed the Union. It has grown from there.” Anja told him.

“You ... you are Queen of this Union?” Lazar stammered the question as his eyes darted to Retta who he felt watching him intently.

“I am one of six Queens.” Anja answered. “We all speak with the same voice so we are essentially one I suppose.”

“You are a half...” Lazar stopped his words and looked at Retta once more remembering her words to him. He cut his eyes back to Anja. “You are not fully wolf.” He finished.

Anja shook her head with a smile for she knew exactly what Retta had told him and Anja could sense this Lazar did not want to incur her daughter’s wrath, and not because he feared what she could do to him. “No. I’m half Hadarian.” She answered him now. “We are a founding member of the Union. One of four founding members.”

“Half breeds are not welcome within the Coalition.” Rhaos blurted out and Anja saw Lazar wince at his words. He had not spoken the word harshly, only stating a fact, which told Anja and Retta both that he did not fully believe in what he was speaking.

“Well that’s a loss for the Coalition I suppose.” Anja said. “The Union embraces them.”

“Have you come out here to conquer us?” Lazar asked Anja.

Retta snorted in undisguised anger now and Anja let her daughter speak, knowing she could not stop her either way. “You shoot my brother and my Uncle like dogs!” Retta snapped at him forcefully. “You murder innocent civilians, beat defenseless women and kidnap us and then you have the arrogance to sit there and ask that question?”

Lazar met her eyes. “Sibot’s actions were not my actions!” He spoke. “I would not have done what he did?”

“Yes ... yes! You already told us they were your father’s orders!” Retta snapped. “What if he had given you those same orders?!” She growled at Lazar. “Would you have done exactly what that other fool did?”

“No.” Lazar answered her honestly and without hesitating, his voice angry though. Anja sensed her daughter become less agitated at his answer and she calmed somewhat. “I do not kill innocents! Nor do I beat those who are not my equal.”

Anja rolled her eyes at his choice of words sensing that is not what he had intended to say and knowing what Retta’s reaction would be.

“Not your equal!” Retta snarled as she rose to her feet. “If I am not mistaken, I am a half breed! My sister and cousin are half breeds! And we just handed you and your superior Alpha attitude your collective asses! How does that compute for you?!”

“That is not... !” Lazar began to speak.

“You may be the most delicious Alpha I have ever smelled in my life, but you have to be the stupidest man I have ever come across as well!” Retta spat stunning Lazar with her words. She turned to her mother now. “Medwaw, I’m going to go sit with Normya, Endith and Tina. At least there, the superior Alpha hormones won’t affect me!”

Anja nodded her head silently and then watched as Retta glared at Lazar for a moment longer and then moved quickly out of the main living area of the STRIKER and up the short flight of stairs into the cockpit. Anja looked back to Lazar who was sitting there with wide eyes. Rhaos looked confused as well but he was also chewing his food. Anja could sense the turmoil within Lazar when it came to Retta, his aura was conflicted about what he felt seething through him and what he had been raised to believe. Anja also believed that Lazar was different from what he had been raised to think was right, for he showed this in his questions about his crew and his reaction when he thought Anja was going to kill Rhaos. Lazar finally turned his head to look at her.

“She misconstrued my words!” He spoke quickly.

Anja shook her head. “No, she didn’t.” She answered. “You just chose the wrong words to use. I get the sense that Coalition females are not afforded the same rights as Union females. They are not considered equal to male Alphas?”

Lazar met her eyes. “I do not follow that ideal!” Lazar hissed in defense of himself. “My mother is Matriarch to all of the Mountain Packs. They honor her and look to her for leadership. It is the City and Plains Packs that follow this fool mentality!”

“Led by your father.” Anja asked.

“I had no say in who my father was.” Lazar told her. “And I do not follow all of his views or ideals.”

Anja smiled at him. “Then the question remains, which ones do you follow?” She asked.

Lazar met her gaze and his eyes grew wider. “You are trying to trick me!” He hissed at her. “You wish me to reveal information that you can use against my people!”

Anja chuckled now and leaned forward putting her mug on the table. “I am not trying to trick you Lazar Aspion.” She spoke calmly holding out her hand to Zarah who stepped away from the bulkhead after a nod to Radem who was sitting at the doorway into the rear Dragon Pens. Zarah held out the data pad.

“Allon coi covieycle lon Endith for Normya sey kinchas sy nison medwaw.” Zarah spoke never taking her eyes from Lazar or Rhaos. (This is everything that Endith and Normya have discovered so far mother)

Anja nodded her head as she took the pad. “Cyn forn fenneennum.” Anja looked at Lazar and activated the data pad and placed it on the table in front of him. “I already know so much more about you than you do about us.” (Thank you daughter.)

Lazar looked at her confused and lowered his tray to the table and picked up the data pad. His eyes grew wider as he realized he was looking at news reports from Jetania. These news reports quickly switched to secure military communications and he looked up at Anja. “You have ... you have decrypted our secure military communications!” He exclaimed. “How ... how have you done this?”

Anja reached out and took the pad from his hands. Lazar attempted to stretch out and snatch it back but before he could even blink, Zarah had blurred to his side and now held the wickedly sharp blade of the knife to his throat. Rhaos had stopped chewing and was leaning back as he stared down the business end of the very large barrel of, at least to him, the Pralor Pulse Magnum that Radem had leveled at his forehead. Once more Lazar had never experienced or seen anyone move so fast in his life and he froze as Anja sat back on the couch calmly.

“If you wish to continue using that arm...” Zarah snarled into his face, her dual fangs now extended fully and her warm breath on his cheek. “ ... I suggest you lower your hand back down. I am not my beloved sister Retta Alpha wolf, and your scent and aura does not make my blood burn for you, but if you move another millimeter towards my mother, I will not hesitate and I will end your life where you sit.”

Lazar did just as he was instructed and lowered his hand back into his lap very slowly. Anja lifted her mug from the table once more and sipped the coffee.

“You strike me as being very intelligent Lazar Aspion.” Anja told him. “I instructed my pilot to only monitor civilian channels and those trivial military use channels that were mildly encrypted. See ... the biggest mistake this igord Sibot made was shooting my son and killing those innocent people. I was willing to be very open had things gone as we had hoped they would. They did not and now because of what he did, I am going to be somewhat of a upaee.” Anja sipped her coffee again. “You don’t want to see me in full upaee mode Lazar Aspion. I guarantee it will not be a pleasant experience. I want our discussions to be civil and intelligent. My husband and mate would much rather be friends with a group of our own people. And trust me when I tell you, having Martin Leonidas as an enemy is perhaps the most suicidal position to be in.” Anja sat back. “I will leave it to your decision. We can have constructive dialogue, or we can do things your way. You can puff out your chest and espouse whatever you like, but considering that our technology is easily a thousand year or two more advanced than yours, that would not be the most productive of positions to be in don’t you agree?”

“And if I refuse to tell you anything?” Lazar questioned her.

Anja shrugged her shoulders. “Then we will deposit you and your friend Rhaos here at a remote location somewhere on your planet and we will leave you there to find your way back to your father and leaders.”

“My men?” Lazar asked.

Anja shook her head. “They will remain with us and face our justice for what they have done. After that, they will be buried honorably on Ventori, which in my opinion, they do not deserve. The Lycavorian Union has laid claim to Ventori and the Beta wolves in positions of power there have aligned with us. The planet is now under our protection. We will not allow any harm to come to them ever again and we will not seek relations with your Coalition ever again either.” Anja met his eyes. “But rest assured if we ever do meet again, it will not be as friends and you will not survive that encounter.” Anja rose to her feet and looked at him.

“I will allow you to think about that and talk with your friend here while we continue to monitor your planet for a time. After one hour I will ask you again if we can conduct ourselves as equals and if not, I will then have my pilot hack your main military database, which for her will be painfully easy, and she will take whatever information that is in it. We will then depart after leaving you on the surface.”

“You do not ... you do not give me much leeway.” Lazar told her.

Anja chuckled and leaned close to him her eyes changing and her wolf fangs extending fully. Lazar’s eyes grew a little wider as those dual fangs became fully visible. “Igorda haro.” Anja snarled into his face. “If my son was dead we would not be having this conversation. My husband and mate, my son Androcles, all of my children and all of our military might would right now be laying waste to your father’s kingdom in retribution. That would not matter to you however, for you would be floating somewhere in space with your friend here.” Anja smiled once more, her fangs making the smile look more like a dangerous sneer than anything else. “Think about it.”

Anja’s head snapped around when they heard the beeping noise and she saw Kalis appear from the rear cabin quickly and go to where they had deposited all of the gear Lazar and Rhaos had been wearing. He reached down and picked up the small cylindrical object from among the objects there.

“Some sort of COM unit Tenna Anja.” Kalis spoke rising to his feet once more as he inspected it and then moved over next to her. “It appears short range however.”

Anja took it from Kalis and turned it over in her hands. She looked at Lazar. “Your fool father?” She asked.

Lazar shook his head slowly knowing as powerful as she was she would detect his lie instantly. “I was not due to report to my father for another two days. I do not know what Sibot intended once he had taken you. That is a private COM unit that only my mother has access too. I don’t know why she has activated it; she believes me to be out of the system.” He replied.

Anja blinked several times. “Really? This should be interesting then.” She handed it back to Kalis. “Plug it into the COM Mandri.” She said. “It will convert the signal automatically and then activate a holo-transmission. Let’s see if we can have a more productive conversation with Lazar Aspion’s mother.”

“Omrad?” Nilantha asked moving up beside him at the control station.

Omrad shook his head. “They are not moving.” He told her. “They entered the system and were moving for Jetania but they have stopped now and are holding position half a light year away.”

“Stopped?” Nilantha spoke softly. “Are they showing on normal sensors?”

“Taris?” Omrad lifted his head and looked at her.

Taris shook her head quickly. “No. All of the Coalition ships in the area are still at their standard positions and no alert has been sent via normal COM channels. All Coalition ships are maintaining their positions. They cannot see them Omrad.”

“How is that possible?” Loras asked now moving up to stand in front of the station where Taris stood. “We can see them but Osrod’s ships cannot? The Home Fleet is the most advanced of our ships.”

“This ship is equipped with an Etheric Sensor Grid Loras.” Nilantha answered her as she came to stand beside her. “It is one of three pieces of Pralor technology that was incorporated into this ship. The Teleporter is the second. Believe me it was no small task either if what I was told is true. The Pralor people regarded these two pieces of their technology to be very secret. Only their most advanced ships had either of them let alone both. How Dadrien of the Mountain succeeded in convincing those Pralors who followed him to do such a thing is beyond me.”

Loras met her eyes. “Then they have cloaking technology as the Coalition does?” She asked.

Rylin nodded her head now. “Yes, but it is far more advanced than anything COLS has operating now. These Lycavorians have technology that in some ways is even more advanced than what is on the Oracle’s ships. We cannot pick the ship up on normal sensors, no one can it appears. We are only detecting them because of the Etheric Grid established within the system and linked to this ship.”

“Carians.” Loras exclaimed in frustration.

Nilantha reached out and took her hands and squeezed them tightly. “Remain calm Loras Ranev.” She spoke calmly. “You have only just been exposed to all of this while Rylin, Taris and others have had years to learn it.”

“This is all so ... it is unbelievable.” Loras rasped out the words.

Nilantha nodded her head. “Indeed it is. Do you trust me Loras?”

Loras looked at her with those captivating dark brown orbs and took a deep breath before answering with confidence in her words. “Yes.” She replied.

Nilantha smiled and squeezed her hands once more. “You will learn it all Loras. I make you a promise now. You will come to know and understand all of it over the next few weeks.”

“How Nilantha?” Loras asked her.

“Just as first Dadrien and then the spirit of Sumar granted me the ability to sense and communicate within the Etheric realm, the more you are exposed to it, especially at the levels you will see, it will stimulate the Etheric resonance within you and you will understand. I have told you that all Lycavorians are born with this ability, but the number who advance it past the initial levels are extremely rare among the COLS Lycavorians. Those who come from your original homeworld, from Lycavore, it was natural for them to use this skill. Especially after the Pralor Sumar and those who followed him were taken into the population.”

“Lycavore.” Loras whispered.

Nilantha nodded her head. “It is no more a myth or legend than I am.” She spoke. “Just as I told you earlier.”

Loras met her eyes. “Vada saan rie vada allsknesi.”

Nilantha nodded. “The Blood of the Ancients. Yes.” She said softly. “Rylin, Omrad, Taris and Anoria are only a few who have discovered this because, just like you, they carry the blood of the ancients within them as well.”

“How?” Loras asked with wide eyes.

Nilantha shook her head. “That I do not know.” Nilantha answered. “Only that it is within you. There were ancient Packs on Lycavore, those with the purest of wolf blood. One Pack was the purest of all and they were who ruled with the other ancient Packs as equals to them. I do not know what took place through the years after I left with your ancestors, but Sumar told me that when he arrived on Lycavore there were only six of these Ruling Packs left. The largest and the most powerful. The strongest and most dominant of these six Packs had dual wolf fangs and this is what set them apart from the others. This oddity in their bloodline, this is what made their Pack stronger, larger in size and far more ferocious, but it also granted them the ability to lead others and do so in such a way that others wanted to follow them. This only grew after Sumar and the Pralors with him were taken in by the Ruling Packs as I said. That is how you have had the visions like the others. Those with the blood of the ancients were always tied more closely to the Etheric realm. I can only surmise that those of you with this skill are descended from the Ancient bloodlines from before your ancestors left.” I have instructed Rylin, Taris and the other to the best of my abilities, which are infantile when compared to the Mard Revik and his family. To those who follow him.” Nilantha shook her head now turning away with an expression of confusion on her face. “This is not going as I had foreseen.”